Belt package



June 8, 1948. LARSON 2,442,979

BELT PACKAGE Filed Jan. 23, 1947 Patented June 8, 1948 BELT PACKAGE Andrew Larson, Chicago, Ill., assignor to A. Stein & Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application January 23, 1947, Serial No. 723,751

3 Claims.

This invention relates to packaging and more specifically to a belt package, that is to say, a package for a trousers supporting belt or the li e.

The main objects of the invention are to provide a simple and commercially practicable belt package which will adequately protect the packaged goods from excessive handling by prospective purchasers, and which will protect the belt against the accumulation thereon of dust, dirt, and other foreign matter while at the same time displaying thebelt in an attractive and adequately visible manner for sales promotion purposes.

Other objects are to provide a belt package of the character indicated which will facilitate the stacking of the packaged belts one upon another for display or cartoning purposes while also maintaining the size of the package to a minimum compatible with certain maximum dimensions of the packaged belt, and to provide a package of the character indicated which can be produced at low cost.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be understood by reference to the following specification and accompanying drawing in which there is illustrated a belt package embodying a selected form of the invention.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a. plan,

Fig. 2 is a side elevation,

Fig. 3 is a, cross section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a section on the line t4 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section on the line 55 of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 6 is a plan of a foldable element of the package structure.

The belt package illustrated in the drawing comprises an annular band I preferably of the oval shape illustrated and preferably made of transparent, flexible, plastic material of any suitable kind, many of which are now available as standard articles of commerce. The thickness of the transparent material may vary considerably, but as a practical matter, thicknesses of from .005 to .010 of an inch are satisfactory in respect both of strength and cost. The band I may be formed as an endless band but it is less costly to form it from a strip of the chosen material, the ends of the strip being lapped and cemented or fused together or otherwise suitably joined. The upper and lower margins of the band I are rolled inwardly to form inwardly extending top and bottom rim flanges or beads 2 and 3.

Top and bottom closure members are respectively designated 4 and 5, these members being formed of a suitable grade of paperboard or other sheet material, and preferably in one piece connected by a strap element 6. Fold lines 1 and 8 (Fig. 6) at the junction of the strap element 6 with the top and bottom members 4 and 5 facilitate folding of the members 4 and 5 into the spaced parallel relation best shown in Fig. 3.

As shown in Fig. 3, the members 4 and 5 are received within the annular band I and inside of the respective inwardly extending beads 2 and 3. The members 4 and 5 are of oval or other shape corresponding to the desired shape of the package and the annular band so that the edges of the top and bottom closures fit snugly against the inner surface of the band I. The inherent flexibility and distortability of the paperboard members and of the annular band I permit assembly of the members in the interlocked condition illustrated in Fig. 3. Also, the flexibility of the band material permits the band to readily conform itself to the oval shape illustrated as well as to other shapes. A hole 9 may be provided in one of the end closures to facilitate opening of the package by the insertion of a finger through such hole for exerting an outwardly directed force on the end closure.

A belt I0 is enclosed between the top and bottom end closures 4 and 5 and within the annular band .I, the belt being coiled upon itself with its buckle end on the outside of the coil. The spacing of the top and bottom members 4 and 5 from each other preferably corresponds to or is only slightly greater than the width of the belt III as illustrated in Fig. 3, and provision is made for receiving the buckle II of the belt and the retaining loop I2 thereof, the overall widths of which are somewhat greater than the width of the belt strap.

In this instance, the top and bottom members 4 and 5 have marginal portions on opposite sides of the strap 6, recessed as indicated at I3 and I I adjacent said strap. The sides of the belt loop I? and the sides of the buckle II arepositioned in "the package so as to extend through the recesses or openings so as to avoid distorting the end closures or displacementthereof by the band I. The recesses l3 and I4, are, of course, properly spaced to correspond with the spacing of the belt loop and buckle.

In assembling the described package, the bottom wall 5 of the end closure structure is first inserted into the annular band and seated on the lowermost bead 3 thereof. The connecting strap 6 is, of course, folded upwardly within and adjacent the band. Another strap or ear portion Ia integral with the bottom member i and in diametrically opposed relation to the strap 8, is also folded upwardly to lie against the inside of the adjacent portion of the band. I with the upper end of the ear engaging the underside of the bead 2 at the upper end of the band. The ear to serves to hold the bottom member seated on the underlying bead 8. The top closure 4 being then in an open position, the belt to be packaged is introduced. The belt may initially be coiled upon itself and inserted' into the open receptacle or the buckle may be first positioned in one of the recesses it or it with the strap extending so as to traverse the connecting element 6 of the closure structure so asto position the retaining loop I! in registry with the other recess I! or I so that its sides, like the sides of the buckle, may project through the recess, thereby to permit the edge of the belt strap proper to engage the bottom wall 5; the strap, if not preliminarily coiled, is then coiled upon itself, the first turn of the strap engaging the band I of the package and succeeding turns being coiled within the outer turn of the strap. The length of the belt may vary considerably, and the package structure will accommodate all usual belt sizes since there is no limitation as to where the free end of the belt strap must be located within the package. After the belt strap is properly coiled and positioned within the annular band, the other end closure 4 is folded down and forced into place under the upper head 2 and the package is completed.

Suitable identifying and descriptive data as well as ornamentation may be printed or otherwise applied to the outside of the cover members I and 5, and it will be observed that the connectin strap elements 6 and 6a provide particularly advantageous locations for what might be called vital data such as belt size and material specifications. The transparency of the band 1 permits adequate visual examination of the enclosed belt and any of said data on the strap 6, even when the packages are stacked fiatwise one upon another. Such vital data is thus definitely located in the center of attraction so that examination of the 'belt and determination of its important chararteristics is facilitated. If a customer insists upon actual handling of the belt, and the storekeeper is inclined to permit it, the package may readily be opened by lifting up the upper flap without destroying the package so that the cover may be replaced without impairing salability of the packaged item. Also, when the cover is displaced for such examination purposes, the innermost end portion of the coiled belt may readily be withdrawn for inspection without removing the entire belt from the package.

In the illustrated embodiment, the belt buckle it) has a maximum width approximately corresponding to the outside top to bottom width of the annular band so that side portions of the buckle project through peripheral openings in the top and bottom openings 4 and 5 and beyond latter. Such projecting portions are, however, received within the width of the band and within the periphery of the package so that they do not interfere with stacking one belt package upon another for display, cartoning, or other purposes. The described package structure is quite inexpensive, but it nevertheless provides an attractive displaypackage and it provides a means for adequately protecting and preserving the belt bne end of greater width than the strap,

while on the store shelf or counter. The package requires no sharp folding of the belt so that when the customer receives a belt it is in a desirable, smooth and fold-free condition.

Various changes in the described package'may be made while retaining the principles of the invention.

I claim:

1. A belt package comprising a receptacle and a belt, the'belt embodying a strap and a buckle at one end of greater width than the strap, said receptacle embodying top and bottom discs spaced from each other a distance substantially corresponding to the width of said strap, and a transparent band having inturned upper and lower beads interconnecting peripheral portions of said discs, said belt being coiled upon itself with its buckle end portion outside and disposed in such coiled condition within said receptacle with the outermost coil of its strap and said buckle disposed adjacent to said band so as to be readily visible therethrough, said discs being provided with axially aligned peripheral openings for receiving the edge portions of said buckle which project beyond the width of said strap and contact said beads.

2. A belt package comprising a receptacle and a belt, the belt embodying a strap and a buckle at the receptacle embodying top and bottom discs spaced from each other a distance substantially corresponding to the width of said strap, and a transparent band interconnecting edge portions of said discs so as to cooperate therewith to form a receptacle, said band having opposite edge portions extending inwardly over the outside faces of the respective discs so as to retain the same within said band, said belt being coiled upon itseii with its buckle end portion outside and disposed in such coiled condition within said receptacle with the outermost coil of its strap and said buckle disposed adjacent to said band so as to be readily visible therethrough, said discs being provided with axially aligned peripheral openings for receiving the edge portions of said buckle which project beyr .d the width of said strap.

3. A belt package comprising a receptacle and a belt, the belt embodying a strap having at one end a retaining loop and a buckle, which loop and buckle propect edgewise beyond the width of the strap, said receptacle embodying top and bottom discs spaced from each other a distance substantially corresponding to the width of said strap, and a transparent annual band extending around the edges of said discs so as to cooperate therewith to form a receptacle, said band having opposite edge portions extending inwardly over the outside races of the respective discs so as to retain the same within said annular band, said belt being coiled upon itself with its buckle and loop-carrying end portion outside and disposed in such coiled conditionwithin said receptacle with the outermost coil of its strap and said buckle and loop disposed adjacent to said band so as to be readily visible therethrough, said discs being provided with pairs of peripherally spaced openings substantially aligned axially of the receptacle for respectively receiving the portions of said buckle and retaining loop which project beyond the width of said strap, and a link extending from the periphery of one of said discs toward the other intermediate said peripheral openings and disposed adjacent the inside of said annular band so as to be visible therethrough and serviceable for carrying selected data. Number REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Certificate of Correction Patent N 0. 2,442,979. June 8, 1948. ANDREW D. LARSON It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Column 4, line 55, claim 3, for annual read annular; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this cofir lrection therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Signed and sealed this 17th day of August, A. D. 1948.

THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Uommim'oner of Patents. 

